(not) Alone
by pagesfromthebasement
Summary: Cloud thinks he is the only one left and he's been struggling to come to terms with everything that happened. When he gets a call that an ex-SOLDIER has been seen in the ruins of Midgar he doesn't even realise how hard he's hoping but he'd give up a lot to recapture just a little of the past he's lost. Post-DOC. Past-ASGZC.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own FFVII.

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 **(not) Alone.**

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Cloud pulled Fenrir into the garage behind Seventh Heaven. Silence rung in his ears when he cut the engine. He swung his leg over the saddle and opened the side compartments to retrieve all the pieces to his Fusion Sword, locking them all into First Tsurugi before swinging it over his shoulder. Once it was safely on his back he headed up the back stairs into the apartment above the bar.

Soft chatter was the first thing he heard when he opened the door. The television was on in the background, and he could easily identify Denzel and Marlene talking quietly together in the living area. Cloud stopped by his bedroom to drop off his sword.

Neither of the kids noticed him enter the room. They were spread out at the coffee table, papers and pencils everywhere. Marlene was scribbling intently with a coloured pencil while Denzel looked over her shoulder and pointed out additions and suggestions. He had a book of his own face-down on the coffee table - a book on mechanics, Cloud noted. He felt the corner of his lips twitch in a small smile.

"Hey." The moment he spoke both heads whipped to stare at him.

"Cloud!" Marlene was the first to her feet. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug, a wide grin on her face. Cloud wrapped an answering arm around her shoulders. He still wasn't great, but he was getting better at this affection thing.

Behind Marlene, Denzel was standing and watching them. Cloud could see his hesitation. Once Marlene was done with her hug Cloud approached Denzel himself and offered the boy a hug. Denzel fell into it immediately. "You're back early."

"It went faster than expected," Cloud answered. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're colouring," Marlene answered immediately, running over to show Cloud.

" _She_ was colouring," Denzel corrected, a blush spreading over his cheeks. He picked up his previously abandoned book and sat a little away as Marlene showed Cloud through her art. She made sure to point out Denzel's additions to each piece. There was even one that Denzel had done himself - a picture of Fenrir, outlined and coloured carefully within the lines. Cloud made a note to ask Denzel later if he could have it.

Marlene went back to the picture she'd been working on before he'd interrupted. Denzel was immersed in the book he was reading. Cloud settled himself on the couch, half watching the two of them and half watching the television. Mostly he was lost in his thoughts.

He hadn't been lying when he'd said his delivery had gone faster than expected. He'd gone all the way to Junon and back, but an inability to sleep had convinced him to just continue riding through the night. Now that he sat down he could feel the exhaustion creeping in. He still wasn't ready to sleep though. He shivered, thinking of the night terrors that had been plaguing him more and more since Sephiroth's last return. They were growing worse. Getting more real. He found himself struggling sometimes to distinguish reality with dreams and it was getting increasingly worrisome. But he didn't know who he could talk to - didn't really have anyone that could understand. The one to have the most idea may be Vincent, but Cloud didn't think having a conversation about his feelings with the stoic man would be helpful at all. He almost let out a snort of laughter at the thought.

For a moment Cloud thought he felt another weight settle on the couch beside him. A quick glance, a flash of silver. There was no one there. Cloud stared resolutely at Marlene, innocently colouring on the floor. She wasn't the neatest at colouring, but she seemed to understand the artistic elements of the pictures much better than Cloud himself. He swore he could feel a hand ghost over his thigh, a weight settle just above his knee. He crossed his legs and stared a little harder at Marlene's picture. A warmth pressed against his upper arm, like someone brushing close. Not just someone. The familiarity made Cloud want to vomit. He jumped to his feet. The couch was empty.

"Cloud? Are you alright?" Marlene looked up. Denzel was watching him too.

Cloud rubbed at his eye. "Sorry, just tired. I'm going to lie down - can you let Tifa know when she comes up?"

Marlene smiled and nodded, promising to do so. She immediately went back to her drawing. Cloud noticed Denzel was still watching him, a small frown on his face. Cloud tried to smile, to reassure him, but it didn't seem to work. He ruffled Denzel's curls as he walked past and the scowl became a pout, so similar to another that he tried so hard to forget. He found himself chuckling as he left the room.

Any laughter died down by the time he reached his room. He closed the door softly behind himself and looked over his space. It was pretty average - much more than he'd had when he was a trooper, much smaller than _they_ had. His bed was tucked in the corner, the sheets looking freshly laundered. His desk was a little cluttered - folders of paperwork, orders and books and general stationary that he used for his bookkeeping. A few framed pictures sat on his shelf - him and Tifa with the kids, their friends from AVALANCHE, him and Tifa standing side-by-side with just their arms brushing. On the other side of the room sat a bookcase, overflowing with books. A few were mechanical, a few historical and a few with stories he vaguely remembered from Nibelheim. Then there were the ones he never read - a few on gardening, comics, poetry. He'd collected them from various places throughout his travels and couldn't find it in himself to leave them.

Partly for a distraction, and partly because it had to be done anyway, Cloud started cleaning up First Tsurugi. He'd only come across a few monsters on his way home, which was unusual. It didn't take him long to go through the familiar motions that he'd learned long ago, and soon his sword was sharp and gleaming in the artificial light. He set it aside and noticed that he himself was probably just as dirty was it had been. He headed straight for the bathroom.

Cloud quickly stripped while the water warmed up. He didn't bother checking the temperature and stepped directly under the spray. It was a little too warm - his skin turned pink almost immediately. He didn't fix it. He concentrated on scrubbing all the scum off his body, on shampooing his hair roughly, rinsing with even hotter water. Cloud went through all the motions, and as soon as he was done he turned off the spray and dried himself. Dressed in plain black pants and a clean shirt, he staggered back to his room. Now that he was clean and warm, he was really feeling the lack of sleep.

He flopped back onto his bed, barely missing the wall with his head. His mattress wasn't the most comfortable, but it was better than camping. Cloud had spend too many nights on rocky ground to mind a few springs. He rested an arm over his eyes, feeling himself already beginning to drift. Usually it took him much longer, he noted. He must be worse off than he expected.

A heavy weight settled over his thighs. He felt the bed dip either side of his body. Warm inner thighs pressed against his hips. Hands settled in the sheets beside him. He could see them when he peeked under his arm - large, tanned hands, oh so familiar, pressing down on the mattress. He could feel warm breath against his throat. He couldn't help himself, he took a quick peek.

Tanned skin. Strong jaw. Black spikes. Wide smile. A pain stabbed in his chest. A swell of hope that he quelled immediately. Cloud closed his eyes and rolled onto his side. "Fuck off." He was alone.

It was dark outside the window when Denzel came to wake him for dinner. He felt no better after waking and shuffled behind the boy to the kitchen. He greeted Tifa and sat down. It was the usual affair. Tifa and Marlene chatted quite happily, coaxing conversation out of Denzel every now and then. No one expected Cloud to participate, they could all see how beat he was. Once his plate was clear he stumbled back to his room and fell asleep immediately.

He lasted most of the night. In the early hours of the morning, not long before the sun was to rise, Cloud jerked awake. He buried his face into his pillow, wishing he could have just stayed asleep this time. He could still see his dream clearly behind his eyelids.

 _It was one of those nights they only got rarely. Everyone was there - no late night meetings, missions or trips to the labs. Cloud had a free day the next day, no classes or training that he had to attend. They were at Genesis' place this time. It was where they usually met, mostly because of the comfort. Genesis was not shy about spending his money on physical comforts._

 _Cloud was curled up on the couch, a blanket around his shoulders and his head resting in a warm lap. Above him he could see Sephiroth's long lashes brushing against his cheek as he read the book in his hand. His other hand was running through Cloud's hair in an absentminded gesture. On the floor in front of them was Zack, shouting at a video game he was playing. Every time he got a little too overzealous Sephiroth would frown and Cloud would knee Zack in the back of the head. In between Zack's shouts Cloud could hear Angeal and Genesis in the kitchen - Angeal was cooking while Genesis set the table. He could hear the two bickering lightly, followed by a tea-towel whip and a very undignified sound from Angeal. He found himself chuckling._

 _"Hm?" Sephiroth raised a questioning brow. Cloud just shook his head with a smile. He stretched his legs out and nuzzled a little more into Sephiroth's thigh._

 _"Dinner is served," Genesis announced with a flourish. He proudly presented the spread that he and Angeal had set up._

 _"Woo! I am starving!" Zack paused his game and rushed to the table._

 _"When aren't you?" Sephiroth muttered as Cloud slowly disentangled himself from the blanket._

 _"I heard that, Seph!" Zack called back._

 _Cloud stood a little too fast and his head spun. Sephiroth reached out to steady him. He smiled softly in thanks._

 _"At least I know you appreciate my food, Zack." Angeal, ever the peacekeeper._

 _"Appreciate? More like inhale," Genesis interjected. "Do you even taste it?"_

 _Cloud and Sephiroth took their places at the table, the last ones to do so. They all dished out the food, digging in immediately. Cloud barely held back a moan. Angeal was one hell of a cook. They spoke pleasantly over their meal, discussing their days and, in the case of both Sephiroth and Genesis, their distaste for many of the ShinRa executives. Cloud mostly listened as he ate, interjecting a comment every now and then. He was quite happy to just enjoy the presence of his lovers. About half way through the meal Genesis, who was sitting across from him, started rubbing a foot softly against his calf. Cloud smiled at him across the table._

 _"Hey Spikey, how's training going? We haven't sparred in ages."_

 _That's because you're always away on missions lately, Cloud wanted to say. Zack had been out in the field a lot more than usual and Cloud missed him in the long absences, as he was sure the others did._

 _Cloud swallowed his mouthful. "Actually I-"_

"Cloud?" Cloud opened his eyes, reminiscence interrupted. He saw Tifa standing in the doorway, clad in a loose pair of sweats and a tank top. She was frowning worriedly, holding a PHS in her hand. She held it up to show him. "You left this out here. Reeve's been trying to contact you."

Cloud wanted to groan. Couldn't it wait until morning? Instead he sat up and offered a quiet thanks as Tifa handed over the device. He was awake now anyway, might as well be productive with it. Tifa lingered beside him, taking in his sweat-soaked, exhausted appearance. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Teef."

She clearly didn't believe him. "Cloud, I know-"

"Tifa." Cloud interrupted. "I'm fine, really. I should see what Reeve wants."

He wasn't fine. He knew that. Tifa knew that. She nodded anyway and left the room. Cloud rubbed a hand over his face, trying to recover a little more before he had to speak to Reeve. He didn't even remember what 'fine' felt like. When was the last time he'd actually meant it when he said that? He couldn't remember. He took a deep breath and selected Reeve's number on his PHS.

"Tuesti."

"Reeve."

"Cloud. Good to hear from you." Reeve was usually polite and got straight to business, a trait that Cloud appreciated. "The WRO is in need of your assistance."

It wasn't very often he received a call like this. The WRO were capable of handling most issues that came their way, and Reeve was aware of all that Cloud had done for the world already. It must be serious. "What is it?" He asked.

"One of our patrols were attacked in Midgar. One of the men managed to escape with his life and reported someone with SOLDIER strength and mako eyes, a materia user with a thin sword."

"A SOLDIER?"

There weren't all that many SOLDIER's left anymore. Many of them died during Meteorfall, but there were a few that had gone into hiding since everything that had happened. None were left in Midgar though, or so he'd thought.

"Tseng has his men on it but we could really use your help. If he is ex-SOLDIER Tseng may not be able to handle him."

"I'll look into it. Where was he seen?" As he spoke Cloud stood and made his way over to his dresser, pulling out a fresh set of clothes.

"Evans wasn't too familiar with Midgar, had never been in the city until after Meteorfall. He thinks it was around what used to be the station in Sector One."

Makes sense, Cloud thought. That was the station that was right by the ShinRa building. Maybe the SOLDIER was staying where it was familiar. He said a quick thanks to Reeve, getting a thanks in return before ending the call. He set his PHS on his desk as he changed into his usual outfit, combed his fingers through his unruly spikes and swung First Tsurugi onto his back.

Tifa was waiting outside in the hall. "Leaving again already?" She seemed resigned to the fact.

Cloud nodded. He was unsure of what he was meant to say here.

"What am I supposed to tell the kids? They were so excited you were back."

He avoided looking at Tifa as he answered. "I should be back tonight."

Tifa didn't try to wrangle a promise out of him like she used to. It wouldn't make any difference. She nodded and wished him luck as he disappeared down the stairs. Only minutes later the sound of Fenrir speeding down the street broke the morning silence.

Cloud stopped by an early morning market to pick up some supplies, mostly food. He still had a good stock of potions and ethers as he never really used the things. It only took him a few moments to procure the necessities before he was tearing through the streets of Edge. He passed the barricade the WRO had set up on the road to Midgar and no one made an attempt to stop him, everyone familiar with Cloud Strife and his high level of clearance in these matters.

At the speed he was travelling it didn't take long at all to reach the central area of Midgar. It was more destroyed in this area and it forced him to slow down considerably. When it started getting to hard to manoeuvre Fenrir around the rubble he found an alcove to hide him in and continued on foot.

It didn't even look like a city anymore. Nothing was familiar here, it was all ruins - slabs of concrete, shells of buildings, silence. He heard the Turks from far away and decided if he did, the SOLDIER must have as well. He wouldn't be anywhere near them. Cloud was quite happy to avoid them, not in any mood to put up with Reno at the moment. They seemed to be gathered on what was left of the Sector One platform so Cloud headed the other way, toward where he remembered Loveless Avenue to be.

His boots scraped loudly over the loose rubble on the ground. He kept a hand on First Tsurugi's hilt, fingers twitching in anticipation. He came across what was left of the fountain, now a dry well. The ShinRa building was almost completely gone. No one could hide there.

Cloud spent the day scouring the area, looking for clues as to where this SOLDIER had been. Whoever it was, they were good. There were no traces of footsteps in the area, nothing to indicate he even existed. He continued his search as the sun set, but as the darkness grew he knew he should break for the night. While the mako in his system made seeing in the dark much easier, it would still be easier to find clues in daylight. He retraced his way to where Fenrir was hidden and headed back to Edge for the night.

He was at it again the next day, and the day after that. Each day he hid Fenrir in the same alcove and combed the area on foot. Just when he started to doubt the SOLDIER even existed, Reno informed him that a few WRO workers in the area had been attacked. None of them died, but all were knocked unconscious and no one saw their attacker. A few times cloud thought he heard something just out of sight - the scrape of a boot, the sigh of a breath. Whenever he moved to investigate however, he found nothing. Either he was more insane than he thought, or this person knew exactly what they were doing.

The kids seemed to like having him around more often. Every night after the sun had set Cloud would return to Edge. He'd spend the night with Denzel and Marlene, both of whom were full of energy and distractions. Marlene in particular kept up a constant stream of chatter that Cloud found himself appreciating. He spent some time with Denzel in the garage working on Fenrir. It wasn't until he retired to his room for a few hours sleep that his mind wondered.

Most nights he spent tossing and turning. Dreams and nightmares meshed and combined, haunting him even when he was awake. He stared at the ceiling resolutely, trying to ignore the phantom touches and scents, the flashes in the corner of his eye. It wasn't real, he had to remind himself, they weren't real. They were dead. All of them. He hated being the last one. He'd leave in the early hours of the morning, after next to no sleep, to begin the search again.

About a week and a half into his search, Tifa caught him one morning. She hadn't been up this early - or late, in her case - since the day Reeve had called him. She was waiting for him when he left his room, quietly closing the door behind himself.

"Cloud." He turned to face her. "What are you doing?"

"You know what I'm doing, I'm looking for the SOLDIER. Reeve asked me to help."

"I know that," she said. "Since when are you so dedicated to Reeve Tuesti?"

Cloud sighed. "It's a SOLDIER Teef, he's my responsibility."

"No, he's not." She said a little too loudly. She continued in a furious whisper. "ShinRa is not your responsibility. You weren't even a SOLDIER Cloud. Leave it up to Tseng and his guys, they know what they're doing."

"They do know what they're doing, that's why they called me." With that he turned and strode down the hallway, ending the conversation. Tifa didn't even try to go after him.

After their conversation, Cloud took to camping out in Midgar. He picked up a few supplies that he'd need and stored them with Fenrir. He also picked up some more food. He could easily return to Edge when he was running low, but for now he didn't want to. The Turks had set up their own camp and Cloud settled in vague proximity to them, close enough to hear them if anything happened during the night.

It was his third night of camping in Midgar that something changed. He slept no more than he had back in his room in Edge, though the nightmares weren't so prevalent. Even as he slept he remained alert, the smallest sound snapping him awake. That's why it was strange for him to wake up with a written note by his head.

He saw it immediately, even in the dark. He sat up quickly, surveying the area. There was no sign anyone had been there. He did a round of the area, just to make sure they weren't still around. If they were, they were awfully good at concealing their presence. Once he was sure he was alone, the turned to the note.

It was an envelope. His name was in the centre, artfully curled handwriting spelling out the letters. For some reason his stomach clenched at the word and he hurried to open it.

It was short and sweet.

 _0100\. Loveless Avenue Theatre._

There was nothing else. The paper was clean, the pen smooth. There was no clue as to who it was from. The only way to know, it seemed, would be to show up the next night.

During the day Cloud avoided going near Loveless Avenue. He didn't want to scare them off, or alert the Turks to the meeting place. Time seemed to pass excruciatingly slowly and Cloud returned to his campsite before the sun had even fully set. He spent some time making sure his Fusion Swords were all clean and ready for action. He double checked the materia he had equipped and the items in his bag. He wasn't sure what to expect and wanted to be fully prepared for anything. He set out early that night, hoping to work off a bit of his anxiousness by taking out a few monsters. The centre area was clear of them, probably thanks to the ex-SOLDIER wondering around, so he had to head out away from the meeting area. He only managed to locate a couple before it was time to head to the theatre.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting. He knew the theatre, had been there a couple of times, mostly at the insistence of one particular man. While he often got bored during the shows, he would have given anything to be sitting back in those seats, watching actors wax poetic about who-knew-what and with warm bodies pressing against him on either side. Now the theatre looked dark and dilapidated, but in slightly better condition than the buildings around it. He lifted a hand to the hilt of First Tsurugi and ducked through the doorway.

The stage was surprisingly clean. It was the first thing he noticed. It was even darker in here than it had been out on the street, but the mako allowed him to see such details anyway. He made his way down the rows of seats for a closer look. He ran a hand over the wood. There was barely any dust.

Something shifted behind him. He stiffened and reached for his sword. He heard footsteps carefully approaching. Cloud turned. The man was sticking to the shadows but Cloud could see the glow of mako. He didn't draw, just watched.

The man seemed to sigh when Cloud looked at him. "It is you." It was a raspy whisper, but something in the sound caught Cloud's attention. He hesitated.

"Wha- Who are you?" He strained to see.

" _My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess._ " He stepped forward.

Cloud froze. His hand fell from his sword and his eyes widened. He knew those words. He suddenly felt dizzy. He knew that face - the slim jaw, the pale skin, that _expression._ He felt weak, disbelieving.

"Gen..." It escaped him in a breath. But no, it couldn't be. It wasn't possible. This had to be another hallucination, just so much more realistic than ever before. Oh great, he'd lost it. He'd finally completely cracked. And now here he was, in the remains of Midgar, talking to someone who was long dead.

Genesis was approaching him slowly, though it looked like he was barely restraining himself. He was watching Cloud carefully. Cloud stared back. Genesis was close now, too close. Cloud took a step back and Genesis froze, heartbreak clear on his face.

"Cloud?"

Cloud shook his head. "No," he found himself muttering. "No, it can't be. You're dead."

Genesis' lips curled into a wry smile. "Clearly not, my dear." He was still watching Cloud carefully.

"But... I thought..." It was all so familiar. Cloud found the words catching in his throat. He tried to swallow, though it didn't really help. "You..."

"I'm sorry." Genesis seemed stuck for words - it wasn't something Cloud was overly used to at any time. Genesis stepped forward and this time Cloud couldn't find it in himself to move away. He stayed perfectly still as Genesis reached a hand out.

Soft fingers brushed against his jaw and Cloud found himself crumbling. He placed his own hand atop Genesis', making sure it was solid. It was. He was really there. The lump that had been growing in his throat seemed impossibly large. He found himself leaning into Genesis' palm, feeling the warmth of the other man. Genesis moved closer, his other hand coming up to cradle his face. Cloud felt his legs give out.

Strong arms caught him. Genesis slowly lowered him to the ground, wrapping his arms around Cloud in a tight hug. Cloud struggled to breathe. He gasped, feeling light-headed. He found Genesis guiding him to rest his head in the juncture between the older man's neck and shoulder. Hands cupped the back of his head, combing through blond spikes.

"You were-" Cloud managed between gasps. "I didn't know- Gen, I thought you were... and the others..."

" _Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."_ Genesis held him tighter, making soothing sounds and mumbling words that Cloud couldn't understand. They sat like that until Cloud was breathing normally again. Once he was recovered enough, Cloud pulled back to look at Genesis. He could feel his legs cramping when he moved, but he ignored it for the moment. Genesis didn't look all that much different than he remembered - he was a little thinner, cheekbones a little sharper, eyes a little sunken. But it was these differences that let him know this was real. In all those times he'd seen his past lovers, they were always how he remembered them - young, healthy and happy. This Genesis looked haunted, like he'd gone through a lot - and Cloud knew he had. It told him that this wasn't just in his mind.

"Cloud...?" Genesis' voice was quiet. "Are you alright?"

Cloud didn't know how to answer that question. He hadn't been alright in a very long time. "I don't know. How is this possible?"

"I'll explain it all later," Genesis answered, stroking a thumb over Cloud's cheekbone. "But it is good to see you, love."

Cloud found himself smiling in return. "I'm so happy you're here, Gen."

"What about Zack? Is he around too?"

His heart gave a painful jolt. The smiled melted off Cloud's face and he froze again. He found himself opening and closing his mouth while no sound escaped and Genesis' eyes widened. "He's not..."

Cloud nodded. "He's dead," he managed to croak. "He died protecting me."

"No," Genesis shook his head. "He can't be."

Cloud blinked back tears that were threatening to fall. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I couldn't do _anything_. I was useless."

"No, no, no." Genesis hugged him tight. "No Cloud, it wasn't your fault. It sounds like he died a hero, just like he wanted."

Cloud gave a wet chuckle. "I just wish-"

"Shh," Genesis soothed. "It's okay."

"I wish I hadn't been so weak," Cloud finished. A painful sob escaped him, followed by another, and before he knew it he was gasping for breath again. Genesis just stood there and held him as Cloud sobbed into his shoulder. Years of trauma and guilt bubbled up and he couldn't hold them back any longer. For so long everyone had been telling him it wasn't his fault, there was nothing he could have done. None of them understood. None of them could. Genesis understood though, he felt the same way Cloud did about Zack. About all of them. Finally, someone else understood the pain Cloud had gone through when he lost them. He felt bad for thinking like that, but he couldn't help but feel relieved at the same time.

It took a while for Cloud to calm down. It had been many years since he'd allowed himself to let loose and he wasn't quite sure how to stop. Genesis rubbed soothing circles into his back, crooning and mumbling and just being _there._ Cloud soon ran out of steam though. They had settled on the floor at some point, Cloud no longer feeling strong enough to hold himself up. It helped to just focus on the feeling of Genesis against him. They sat together in near silence for what felt like an eternity before Genesis spoke again.

"Are you feeling a little better now?"

Cloud nodded. "Thanks. I really needed that." His voice came out hoarse and cracked a little.

"I noticed."

Cloud's PHS rang loudly. He almost jumped, not expecting the sudden noise. Genesis let out a chuckle as Cloud groaned and pulled out the device. When he saw the caller ID he pulled a face, but answered nonetheless.

"Reno."

"Yo Cloud! Where are ya? We found your shit but you ain't with it. You aren't looking for the guy in the middle of the night, are ya?"

Cloud winced. Reno was way too loud for the middle of the night. "It's none of your business. And don't touch my bike."

Reno laughed. "Jeez, touchy. I'm not gonna mess him up. Don't stress, yo."

"What do you want, Reno?"

"Just checkin' in. Found anything yet?" He could hear people talking in the background and recognised Rude's voice as one of them.

"It's the middle of the night." Cloud resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Whatever. You're obviously awake."

"Goodbye Reno." He didn't give the redhead a chance to respond and ended the call. He sent Genesis an apologetic look as he slipped the device back into his pocket.

"Sounds like a great guy," Genesis snickered.

Cloud groaned. "Turks."

"So ShinRa's still around, are they?" When Cloud shot him a questioning look, he shrugged. "Been a bit out of the loop lately, love."

Cloud nodded in understanding. "In a way, they are. Neo-ShinRa's pretty small, nothing like ShinRa used to be. Most everyday things are handled by the World Regenesis Organisation which Reeve Tuesti founded, and Neo-ShinRa works pretty closely with them. There aren't all that many Turks left, and they're all more loyal to Rufus than any one organisation, really. There aren't too many SOLDIERs left either, but most of them either work with the WRO or have gone into hiding for their own safety. People are a bit anti-ShinRa after everything that happened."

"So do you work for Shinra?" Genesis asked.

"It's more of a freelance thing. I actually run my own delivery service." At Genesis face he jabbed an elbow into the man's ribs. "Hey, don't knock it. I get to get out of the city, travel around and make a bit of money out of it."

Genesis held up his hands. "I wasn't mocking you, sweet. I think that is an admirable profession."

"How would you like to join me?" Cloud grinned.

Genesis' eyes widened. "What?"

"Well, you don't really need to stay in hiding anymore. You could come with me."

Genesis looked like he hadn't even considered the possibility. He clearly hadn't considered anything past seeing Cloud again. "Maybe you don't need to," he said. "But I defected. I turned against ShinRa, I'm a traitor."

Cloud just shrugged. "That ShinRa doesn't really exist anymore," he said. "Besides, the world kind of owes me a favour or two. I think they'll let us get away with it."

They sat together in the old crumbling theatre until the sun started to rise and the darkness receded. Cloud told Genesis about life as it was now. He described Edge, his job, Seventh Heaven, Tifa and the kids. Genesis listened intently, occasionally asking questions but mostly he seemed content to listen to Cloud. Cloud wasn't used to talking so much - he talked even less now than when he'd last seen Genesis. They only talked about the present though. Cloud didn't ask Genesis about any of it - his desertion, his fight with Zack, or Deepground. Genesis asked nothing about Cloud's mako-influence, the years since, his fighting with Sephiroth and saving the world. It was nice for once to not think about it, now that he finally felt like he had something to look forward to.

Before they left the theatre, Cloud figured he should inform Rufus and Reeve both that he'd found the SOLDIER and that he'd be taking the man home with him. He called Tseng first, just in case the Turks happened upon them. Tseng was rightfully shocked when he revealed it was Genesis he had found, and probably rightfully worried. SOLDIER Firsts, this one in particular, were not know for being overly stable. Cloud brushed off any of his worries and hung up to call Reeve. Reeve demanded a meeting with Genesis, which Cloud promised would come in a few days. He seemed to think that if Cloud was positive he could handle it, then it would be alright.

As they made their way to Cloud's campsite where Fenrir waited, he called Tifa.

"Cloud?" She sounded almost out of her mind with worry.

"Hey Teef," Cloud winced.

"You can't just leave like that when we're in the middle of a conversation, Cloud."

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, mostly just to stop her tirade before it really started. "Look, we can talk about it when I get back."

"You're coming home?" The instant hope in her voice did make Cloud feel a little guilty.

"I'm headed back right now," he promised. "And I'm bringing a friend with me."

"Cloud..." Now she was apprehensive.

"He just needs somewhere to stay for a little while," he hurried to say. "Don't worry, he'll stay in my room, I just wanted to warn you in advance."

Tifa was quiet for a moment. "Well thanks, I guess."

"We'll talk later, Teef. I'll see you soon."

"See you then, Cloud."

After he hung up Genesis laughed. "She didn't sound too happy." Cloud had to agree. He wasn't really looking forward to the confrontation once they arrived back at Seventh Heaven. They finally reached Cloud's campsite and went about packing up the supplies and loading them onto Fenrir. Genesis took a few moments to admire the bike. While he didn't know all that much about them, Fenrir was nonetheless impressive.

Once they were ready Cloud instructed Genesis to sit behind him. Genesis stood beside the bike to plant his hands on either side of Cloud's face and kiss him softly. Cloud returned the sentiment with a smile, a hand going to Genesis' hip. They stood - or sat, in Cloud's case - and traded kisses for a few minutes. When Cloud was sufficiently flushed Genesis pulled away with a smirk and swung a leg over the bike, wrapping his arms around the waist in front of him.

Cloud found himself smiling widely as he started Fenrir and Genesis adjusted himself behind him. He didn't even look back at what remained of Midgar as he pulled out of his little alcove and headed back toward Edge.


End file.
